serving Southern Heritage Recipes & Lagniappe from Mobile's Delta

Fried Soft Shell Crabs

It’s a crabby kind of day. That is, it’s about summer fun and catching a mess of blue crabs.

FYI – Crabs molt their shell 18 to 23 times a year, females fewer than males. When this happens, it is literally without a shell. (That’s where the ‘soft shell’ name come in.) As soon as 12 hours later, a paper-thin shell begins to form. It is best to catch them before the shell really begins to harden unless you like a really hard crunch.

Dry each crab well. Soak in milk seasoned with salt and pepper for 15 minutes. Add the Bay Seasoning Blend to the flour, mix well and add each crab dusting well. Heat shortening and fry crabs until crisp and brown. Drain on paper towels or a brown paper bag.
Serve with tartar sauce or between sliced bread.